A man dressed as the popular kids' show character SpongeBob SquarePants was detained by police yesterday in Los Angeles after an altercation between him and two women got violent.

It hasn't been firmly established why the dispute so quickly escalated into a vicious barage of punches, although there are some suggestions that SpongeBob placed his gloved hands on inapproiate areas as he posed for pictures with the two pink-haired ladies. Other witnesses say it was the women who provoked SpongeBob by demanding he take off his costume.

Although it was SpongeBob who took most of the hits, he was the one detained by the police when they arrived on the scene. The shocking video is below -- note how SpongeBob makes every effort to remain in character, until the police demand he remove his costume.